SMART partnership success for Welsh start-up

SWANSEA, Wales - April 24, 2019 - PRLog -- Tech-start-up Business Butler are a step closer to developing the UK's first intelligent business chatbot. They have partnered with Cardiff Metropolitan University and successfully submitted a joint application for a SMART Partnership, which is partly funded by the Welsh Government.

SMART Partnerships offer financial support to innovative collaboration projects that require a range of expertise to succeed. This support helps to increase the capacity and capabilities of Welsh businesses to develop R&D activities by linking them with Research Organisations and an associate, to work on a specific project.

Business Butler are using the SMART Partnership to help develop their idea of an intelligent business chatbot, which will have the ability to assist small and medium sized businesses and startups by offering advice on dozens of business topics. The chatbot will use natural language processing to analyse inputs from users, ask clarification questions about their business and selection criteria, to deliver relevant and targeted business advice via a number of platforms including; app, website and social media.

Bhupinder Sidhu, the founder of Business Butler explains more, "We believe the chatbot will be able to make a significant contribution to SME businesses, supporting sustainable growth, helping to grow profitability and ultimately improving business survival rates."

"To help make our idea of a business chatbot a reality, we knew we needed quality technical expertise so we approached Cardiff Metropolitan University to be our Research Organisation partner. Together we developed a SMART Partnerships application and are delighted that this has been successful."

The funding from SMART Partnerships is enabling Business Butler to recruit a full time developer to work on the coding and development of the chatbot which will be done with the support and guidance of senior academics from the university. Matthew Taylor, Director of Innovation, Research & Innovation Services at Cardiff Met said:

"Cardiff Metropolitan University is delighted to be working with Business Butler on this exciting SMART Partnership project. Bringing expertise in data science from our School of Technologies to work on a challenging real-world project enables the University to ensure the content of our degree programmes is highly relevant to the needs of modern businesses. Projects such as this help to reinforce the links between the University and the South Wales business community and we look forward to further developing our relationship with Business Butler for mutual benefit."

Imtiaz Khan, Senior Lecturer in Data Science at the School of Technologies, Cardiff Met and was involved in the application said: "We are excited to have this SMART Partnership with Business Butler - an Artificial Intelligence powered chatbot serving entrepreneurs across Wales"

The chatbot is due for release early in 2020 and project updates will be available on the Business Butler website. www.businessbutlerswansea.com